New Delhi: Two commercial vessels, carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals, have been hijacked in separate incidents off Yemen and Somalia, according to reports.
The Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker M.T. Sibu 1 was carrying 16 Indians among its 20 crew members. Reports claim that it has been hijacked by six armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden, around 30 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen.
All 20 crew members were reported safe, as per the Directorate of Maritime Administration. But the latest status of the vessel and crew was awaited.
The Recruitment and Placement Service Licence agency has been asked to submit an incident report, according to HT. It has also been asked to give subsequent periodic updates through the e-Navik online marine casualty reporting system.
In another incident, pirates have reportedly seized the Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel M/V LUTUF off Somalia’s Puntland coast on Monday. It is carrying six Indian nationals among its 10-member crew, as per Associated Press.
The ship was seized around 3.5 nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district. It was subsequently taken towards the Nugaal coast.
The vessel, owned by Polar Movement Shipping, was carrying weapons bound for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu. It also had communications and satellite equipment.